HIV/AIDS is real. It can happen to anyone. You must protect yourself.
In Leon County, one in 162 blacks are living with HIV/AIDS.
Though that may sound like a small number to some, consider that there are a little over 11,000 students at Florida A&M University.
That means close to 70 students may possibly have HIV/AIDS. So what should that mean to you?
First off, do not assume that anyone you meet has never had any type of sexual encounter.
It is important to ask potential sex partners about his or her sexual past. And before you lay down with that person, you should get tested together.
Make sure you read and understand each other’s results.There is no cure for HIV/AIDS. That means that once you get it, you have it for life.
There were an estimated 20,822 Blacks with new AIDS cases in the U.S. in 2004 according to the Center for Disease Control. The CDC also estimated 15,798 people who were infected with AIDS died in 2004.
HIV/AIDS can carry a host of problems that can affect your day-to-day life.
The most common complication affecting a person who has HIV/AIDS is his or her ability to fight off the common bacteria and viruses. Most HIV/AIDS patients do not die from the disease, rather they die from common bacteria and viruses that most people come in contact with everyday.
You are grown.
We cannot stop you from doing what you want to do, but please make sure you protect yourselves at all times. All we can do is let you know that HIV/AIDS is real.
Angelica Washington for the editorial board.